Indian Nurse Nimisha Priya Faces Death Penalty in Yemen

In a deeply worrying development, Kerala native nurse Nimisha Priya is set to be executed in Yemen on July 16 after her death sentence was upheld in a 2017 murder case. With just days left, her family, supporters, and the Indian government are launching urgent diplomatic and legal interventions to save her life. Their last recourse? Offering $1 million as “blood money” under Sharia law, in hopes the victim’s family or tribal elders will pardon her.

Execution Scheduled for July 16, 2025

Nimisha Priya, 37, originally from Palakkad district, Kerala, was sentenced to death in 2020 after being found guilty of murdering her business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, in 2017.

According to human rights activists, Yemen’s President Rashad al‑Alimi upheld the execution earlier this year, and it is expected to be carried out on July 16, 2025. The Supreme Court of India is set to hear a last-minute appeal on July 14, urging diplomatic intervention .

🇮🇳 India Launches Emergency Diplomatic Efforts

Indian government officials, including the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), are actively working to secure clemency .

• Congress leader K.C. Venugopal has written to PM Modi, urging immediate intervention .

• Mehbooba Mufti has appealed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and urged Indian women to help raise the “blood money” required .

• Kerala MP K. Radhakrishnan (CPM) has also called for urgent diplomatic efforts to bring her back or at least commute her sentence .

Family Offers $1 Million Blood Money

Under Yemeni Sharia law, the victim’s surviving family has the authority to pardon a death row inmate in exchange for diya, or “blood money.” Nimisha’s family has offered $1 million (approx ₹8.6 crore) to Talal’s relatives . However, the victim’s family has neither accepted nor rejected the offer yet.

Babu John, an activist from the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, explained that their Yemeni negotiator, Samuel Jerome, is spearheading the effort in Sanaa. Negotiations have been ongoing for months .

Case Background: Self-Defense or Murder?

Here’s a summary of events leading to the death sentence:

1. 2008: Nimisha moved to Yemen as a nurse and later started her own clinic with Talal Abdo Mahdi as a business partner .

2. Their relationship soured when Talal allegedly harassed Nimisha, withheld her passport, and forced her to live under his control .

3. In 2017, Nimisha administered sedatives—reports suggest ketamine—to Talal to reclaim her passport. He overdosed and died .

4. His body was disposed of in a water tank, and Nimisha was arrested while attempting to flee .

5. She was convicted in 2018, sentenced to death in 2020, and had her appeals denied in 2023 .

Supporters argue the incident stemmed from self-defense, citing her desperate attempt to escape abuse .

Nimisha’s Conditions in Prison

Since her conviction, Nimisha has remained in Sanaa Central Prison, reportedly still serving as a nurse to fellow inmates . Her mother, Prema Kumari, has been based in Yemen to negotiate with the victim’s kin, and her husband Tomy Thomas and 12-year-old daughter remain in Kerala  .

Urgent International Push

The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear a plea on July 14, urging diplomatic intervention to halt the execution .

Mehbooba Mufti called for collective financial support from women’s groups to gather blood money, reflecting widespread concern .

Congress and CPM MPs have urged immediate involvement from PM Modi and the MEA, stressing the case’s humanitarian and diaspora safety implications .

Time is Running Out

With July 16 fast approaching, pressure is mounting. Activists and legal teams fear there’s little time before her scheduled execution . Nimisha’s family is pinning hopes on a last-minute pardon via blood money and a diplomatic breakthrough to at least postpone the hanging.

Why This Case Matters

• Raises critical questions about the rights of Indians abroad under foreign legal systems.

• Explores Sharia’s concept of diya, which allows for forgiveness through compensation

• Highlights diplomatic challenges and humanitarian advocacy in high-stakes cases involving capital punishment.

• Emphasizes the need for robust legal support and timely governmental intervention in death row cases overseas.

Immediate Actions That Might Save Her

What Happens Next?

• July 14: Supreme Court reviews plea for diplomatic intervention.

• Negotiations: Waiting on victim’s family decision regarding the blood money.

• MEA & PMO: High-level diplomatic channels engaged to seek intervention from Yemeni authorities.

• Public Mobilization: Activists and protests aim to pressure decision-makers.

As the world watches, Nimisha Priya’s fate rests on a delicate combination of diplomatic pressure and a financial pardon under Sharia. It’s a case that underscores the vulnerabilities Indian nationals face abroad—and how urgent, coordinated action from government, judiciary, activists, and communities may be the only thing standing between life and death.